Paranthropus

American  

[puh-ran-thruh-puhs, par-uhn-throh-puhs] / pəˈræn θrə pəs, ˌpær ənˈθroʊ pəs /

noun

1. an extinct genus of bipedal hominins with massive chewing muscles, large teeth, and thick dental enamel: it may have descended from Australopithecus in Africa about 2.7 million years ago.

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Etymology

Origin of Paranthropus

First recorded in 1935–40; from New Latin: literally “beside man, near man”; equivalent to Greek para- “beside, near” + Greek ánthrōpos “human being”; see para-

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Paranthropus

Paranthropus has long been labeled the "nutcracker" genus, a nickname inspired by its massive jaws, thick tooth enamel, and oversized molars.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 23, 2026

That view shifted when researchers analysed 51 fossil teeth from a range of hominids and great apes, including Australopithecus africanus, Paranthropus robustus, early Homo, Neanderthals, and Homo sapiens.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 16, 2025

Two fossils shared an amino acid sequence found in humans, chimpanzees, and gorillas, while the others had a version so far unique to Paranthropus.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 1, 2025

Paranthropus boisei, however, went extinct within the next few hundred thousand years.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 28, 2024

Hominins belonging to the species Homo erectus and Paranthropus boisei, the two most common living human species of the Pleistocene Epoch, made the tracks, the researchers said.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 28, 2024